Love Like Winter
by words behind my eyelids
Summary: A re telling of the Hades and Persephone myth. It's been way too long since I've updated, yet again. If I have any readers left, please forgive me?
1. Chapter 1

**Love Like Winter—By Words Behind My Eyelids**

The grass was warm beneath my feet, and a light breeze lifted my hair from my shoulders. If I concentrated, I could almost feel the wind and sunlight and soft rains of the world above, the world I have lost. Like so many things, it started with a kiss, my first kiss, in the green stillness of the forest. My stranger had found me on the island I shared with my mother and the nymphs under our protection. He was unlike anyone I had ever seen, pale and handsome, with dark blue eyes swirled with silver and ink colored hair that framed his face.

He had high cheekbones and crimson lips, and he would be my undoing.

*

I was walking through the valley a few days later, lost in thought. I was remembering the kiss, of course, remembering his frozen skin and the delicious flush of color that spread across his cheeks when I rested my head against his chest. I was happy, humming absent-mindedly as I walked, and then the ground gave way beneath my feet and I fell through the empty air, the opening above me closing as I screamed myself hoarse. Soon I was left in utter darkness, still falling. And falling. And falling. Shadows swirled around me as I plummeted, almost clinging to me. I had never been so utterly terrified. My fear was rather irrational, considering that I cannot die, but I hated having no control over my body. My descent began to slow, and I braced myself… A pair of strong arms caught me before I hit the floor, bruising my sides and scaring me worse than the thought of impact had. My (Rescuer? Abductor? Assailant?) guide led me through a maze of twists and turns, silent.

*

Eventually a light came into view, and we came to a garden filled with flowers made of rubies, sapphires, and amethysts, with topaz centers and emerald stems. Lanterns were placed along the path, emitting a soft, warm light and throwing rainbows where their beams met the wondrous flowers. In the center of the strange garden was a proud tree, crafted of obsidian, it's branches hung with cherry blossoms made of flattened pearls. The figure beneath the lovely tree stood up as we approached, a simple silver band adorning his brow. My stranger stepped forward out of the shadows and raised his hand in greeting.

**A/N So if you read the previous version and liked it, I'm sorry. If not, I hope you like this version better. Either way… PLEASE REVIEW! This is my first attempt (second if you count the failed version that was up for a day) at a multi-chaptered fic and I would really appreciate some feedback, even if you hated it, because I'm not sure if I should continue this story or not. Please tell me what you think!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

_Hades._ My stranger was the Lord of the Dead. I'm ashamed to admit that my first thought, the first emotion I felt, was grief, because there was no way that we could be together, and I had had such hopes. The rest of the night is all a blur, a swirling nightmare of faces and voices and his eyes, deep blue and remote. This place is so strange. Souls, some just ethereal wisps of light, some glowing and substantial figures, dance around me, darting between shadows. Some part of me wanted to join them and lose myself to madness, but on a deeper level I knew that I was tethered to the earth. I am so far away from life, but I noticed that vague figures flit in and out of existence, echoes of life that disappear even as I reach for them. The almost-flowers make me ache with longing, desperate for the world I have lost, but they remind me of who I am, and offer fleeting moments of sanity, something that is far too fragile here.

*

I am to be his bride. He wants me to marry him, and live in this strange, melancholy land, so far from the world above. My world. How can I forsake the endless sky, the feel of the dark, fertile soil beneath my feet, the smell after it rains? I am spring, a time of change and birth. How can I live in a kingdom of death, buried in the Land of Forever? Slumber—my silent guide—took me to Hades' home, a castle of onyx, built on the banks of the river Styx. He led me to room (mine?) whose walls were covered in morning glory blue silk. In the center of the room was an enormous white cushion, surrounded by nearly sheer white curtains. It was…beautiful. Slumber had left while I was examining the lovely room, and shut the door behind him. He hadn't locked me in, but if I escaped, what was I going to do? I had nowhere else to go. All night the anguished cries of the mortals kept me awake, as my mother froze the world, and the earth sank into sleep.

*

When morning came, I was unsurprised by the change in my appearance. As a goddess of the earth and the seasons, I am affected by any change in the natural pattern of the world. My hair was several shades darker, and I looked almost feverish, pale and flushed at the same time. I was wilting—no, freezing, a sheen of frost covering my petals. I swore that I could feel my sun-starved bones growing brittle. Miserable, and somewhat numb, I wrapped a blanket tighter around my bare shoulders and walked to the window on the far side of the room. The river Styx glowed and shimmered faintly in the distance, emanating a watery light that perfectly matched my pensive mood. A slight movement near the waters edge caught my attention, and I noticed Hades standing at the water's edge, facing, but not looking at me. He looked so sad. Without warning, he dove into the river, disappearing beneath its darkly opaque depths. I winced in sympathy; it was freezing. I watched as he surfaced, and swam to the other side, emerging soaking wet. He walked towards the castle with such incongruous dignity that it would have been funny if it hadn't been so heartbreaking. He glanced up towards my window, and I darted out of sight.

*

Far, far above them Olympus grew steadily colder. Even as icicles formed above his head, and his teeth began to chatter, the king of all remained unmoved. "_Not yet_" whispered the Erotes. "_Wait._" Zeus shuddered and moved closer to poor, exhausted Hestia's fire. Gradually, the mortals ceased their screaming prayers, and the air throbbed with their silent desperation. Olympus, which thrived off the immortals happy energy, was fading before their eyes, starved for warmth and nearly devoid of light. _How could love flourish in such a world? _Anteros wondered, _what good could come of this? _For the first time, he questioned the soundness of his mother's judgment. Hades had been furious when Eros had shot him, and he, Anteros, had been forbidden to aim his arrows anywhere near Persephone. Aphrodite was playing a dangerous game, and the stakes kept getting higher. When, and how, would it end? On the far side of Olympus, Demeter stood in a single circle of green grass, unwavering. The world could freeze and shatter, but her daughter would not be held captive. Persephone was coming home.

*

"Hades, are you certain?" Charon asked. "This seems like a better way to gain her hatred than her regard."

"I confess, I am hardly certain of anything anymore, Charon. She has brought me the most exquisite madness, and I think I much prefer it over dull sanity." Charon was unsure how to respond to this, and wisely remained silent. Those in love could seldom be reasoned with.

**A/N Thank you, E.C., for reviewing. You're the only one who did, but I love you all the more for it! To the rest of my audience—and I hope that there are more of you—PLEASE TELL ME WHAT YOU THINK! I'm sorry that this chapter took so long to write, and is so short, but I seem to have encountered writers' block, and I would really appreciate your opinions and if you have any suggestions I'd love to hear them! I'll try to make the next chapter a lot longer. **


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

A knock at the door startled me out of my reverie. I considered ignoring it, but decided that whoever it was would probably just keep knocking until I answered. "Enter," I said coldly, my voice brittle with icy politeness.

"My lady," said the crimson-eyed servant, bowing, "My Lord Hades requests the honor of dining with you, whether you will eat or not."

"Your Lord Hades knows very well that I will not partake in any part of the meal, but no matter. Give me a moment to dress, and I will come." It seemed that I would get the chance to face my abductor.

"Very well, my lady. I will wait outside and escort you to the dining room at your leisure."

*

I refused to dress up for Hades, but I was also determined to maintain my dignity, and shivering throughout the meal would make that rather difficult. So, I donned a heavy, sleeveless gown, decorated with beautiful embroidery that ran in a long panel down the front and an emerald green, velvet cloak. The crown of flowers in my hair was long dead, but I kept it on as a sign of protest. Perhaps it was childish, but at the time, it seemed to perfectly express my feelings. The servant—Mirth—led me down a flight of spiral stairs and down several corridors, coming to stop in front of a huge table, laden with the strangest feast I'd ever encountered. Dawn-colored apples with blushing cheeks had been sliced open, revealing snow-white flesh that begged to be eaten. Saucers were filled with transparent honey that overflowed onto the wooden table, glittering in the candlelight. Several loaves of pale bread exhaled sweet smelling steam, and perfectly formed strawberries, blackberries, and grapes were scattered everywhere. A thick potato stew simmered invitingly, and I couldn't eat a single bite. This was simply cruel. Hades sat at the far end of the long table, dressed in black. His hair was pushed back, and he met my cold glare uneasily, draining his cup of thick red wine in a single swallow. His eyes never left mine as I sat down at my end of the table, spine rigid.

*

"Pers—Lady, I assumed that you would not want…that you would desire food and drink from the earth, so I took the liberty of sending for some," Hades said in a low voice, dropping his gaze. A servant set a tray down in front of me; a cup of fresh spring water that smelled of sunlight and several warm, flaky rolls dripping with butter. The simple fare was not as enticing as the mesmerizing feast, but it was honest, hardy food with no hidden enchantments.

"Thank you," I said quietly, surprised by the gesture. Immortals didn't necessarily need to eat, but I wasn't used to the hunger that gnawed at my belly, and plagued my thoughts.

"Don't thank me," he nearly snarled, voice filled with bitterness. I didn't know how to reply, so I ate, devouring the bread with an almost religious glanced up as I was finishing and watched me with a bemused sort of smile on his face.

"What?" I asked self-consciously, brushing my tongue across my lower lip to remove the faint traces of butter.

"Nothing," he replied innocently, shaking his head as if to dislodge his thoughts. I suddenly felt very young. I remembered running through the forest as a child, laughing in delight as foxglove bloomed in my wake, the shaky, euphoric laughter that only children can pull off without sounding insane. I wanted to cry from homesickness, missing the earth and the sky and my mother so much it felt like my heart would break.

*

As if sensing my thoughts, Hades met my eyes, and then looked away. He stood up abruptly and stalked over to the window, staring out across the dreary river. I was cold again, and I vaguely remember registering that it seemed like the cold was inside me, covering my bones with sharp, spindly icicles. I drew my knees up and wrapped the cloak tighter around me, but it didn't help. Idly, I pricked my thumb with a knife. A few beads of blood welled from the tiny cut, and I smeared the macabre crimson color across my lips, feeling the skin knit back together with a satisfying sort of ache. I caught sight of my reflection in the glass, a small woman with dead flowers tangled in her dark auburn hair and madness lurking behind her rich green eyes. Her pale cheeks were flushed with winter, her lips tainted with red. Everything felt like a dream here. Maybe it was.

*

My dreams that night were restless, frantic visions of running, searching through a strange, barren land. Angels flitted in and out of focus, disappearing behind formless shadows or sinking beneath the stark land; the only thing I knew with any clarity was that I had to find him, the dark angel with night-colored eyes. I woke to the bone-deep cold that permeated the almost-morning air, but for once, I was grateful for the distraction. In this place of almost and half-truths, I was thankful for every moment of fragile sanity. I convulsively tightened the blanket around my shoulders, and descended, my bare feet making no noise against the cold, smooth stone. I walked to the water's edge, and watched as the light of the River Styx brightened and took on a rosy tinge. Strange that the river of eternity should mimic the ever-changing sky, but then, everything was strange and beautiful in this topsy-turvy world. I was entirely surprised, yet somehow not surprised at all, when I heard footsteps approaching and Hades came to stand beside me. When I turned to look at him, I would be cold and angry, but for the next few moments, I exhaled with all the souls of the Underworld, finding the peace that sleep had denied me.

*

The soil remained hard and unyielding, the naked trees shone with frost, and still Zeus refused to intervene. The Erotes whispered treacherously in his ear, and a self-satisfied smirk distorted Aphrodite's perfect features. Hades would fail to win Persephone, and then no one would doubt her importance ever again. Love that existed without her and her children was a mockery, a fluke. It was nothing. Hades would pay for slighting her, and she'd set little Persephone up with Hermes, or maybe Apollo to make it up to the poor girl. It was all going according to plan. But even the effervescent goddess of love shivered miserably when the next freezing gust of wind slapped her cheeks. The air screamed as it passed through the bare branches of the forest, a tangible echo of Demeter's fury. The formerly definite lines of the world blurred in the crisp whiteness of the unceasing blizzard, and Aphrodite's determination wavered.

*

Beneath the freezing earth, and below the realm of Hades, deep within the hot core of the earth, the Moirae quietly went about their tasks. Clotho stroked two particular threads, golden, but with other colors mixed in. They were joined by a thin fiber, no thicker than a single strand of a spider's web. Gently, she pinched the offending member between her thumb and forefinger, lifting the threads into the air. Before her disbelieving eyes, they twisted themselves together, almost by accident, but in a way that seemed purposeful. She heard two separate, distinct intakes of breath as Lachesis and Atropos came to stand behind her, captivated. _Well, _she thought, astounded, _this was unexpected_…

*

**A/N So, this was a bit longer… I really was hoping for at least another paragraph, but this seemed like such a good place to end it. Thank you to ****E.C.**** for being the only one to review, again, and also to ****Yami-Fan 101**** for being the first to favorite LLW! You guys are the best! As always, I would love your opinions and/or suggestions. So… REVIEW! Pretty, pretty please? With whip-cream and chocolate sauce and caramel and cherries?**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The wound bled sticky silver ichor, throbbing in time with his heartbeat. He was spiraling deeper into insanity, diving through Persephone's cold green eyes until his flesh cracked and crumbled. The King of the Dead curled into a ball upon his cold black throne, bare-chested and shivering, tears freezing on his face from the cold of the shadows he drew around him. Souls flickered in and out of existence, drawn by their lord's distress like moths to a flame. He had thought bringing Persephone down to his kingdom would alleviate his suffering; it had seemed like such a good plan at the time. Now everything was in pieces, and he was in more pain than ever. He had pulverized his entire moral code in one fell swoop, and nothing could ever make it right.

*

I gazed into the mirror apathetically, my reflection blurred before unseeing eyes. Souls, unnoticed, danced franticly, hectically around me as I cried for reasons I didn't comprehend. I longed for the powerful coursing hatred to return to me, consume me, but instead I wept for melancholy land that had never known life, for the sharp angle of Hades' shoulders when he stood alone beside the Styx, so fragile, for the unrelenting winter above. Not for the first time, I concentrated all my energy into my core, calling spring to me. I poured all of my sorrow, all my anger and hate and fear, into my creation, wishing for lush, healthy vines that would carry me home, out of the Land of Death. A single, crimson rose was the fruit of my labors, not much, but it was a start. Holding my breath in anticipation, I set the rose in a broken pitcher, filled with water from the river Styx. I expected it to wither and die, but instead it flourished, its petals opening wider and wider before my disbelieving eyes. It looked too _red; _its petals spread too wide, yet none of them loose or falling. I tried to pluck a leaf from its stem, but they were firmly set in place. The river of Death didn't steal life; it made things immortal.

*

Hades was silent when I came to the table that night, his eyes rimmed with dark circles. Food was piled atop the groaning table as it had been before, my own small fare waiting at the other side of the table. Tantalizing smells wafted towards my nose. I set the pitcher before him tauntingly, and he glared wearily up at me, taking a sip of bitter red wine. I was suddenly furious with his nonchalant attitude, his cold, uncaring mask, with him for kidnapping me in the first place, and I stuck blindly, searing him with the flaming life I controlled. Too late I realized my mistake, he was the Lord of Death! He would sap my strength and drain my power and I would never be able to escape! I began to panic, but he never fought back, even as his eyes filled with tears. The servants, Sorrow, Malice, and Hate, were gathered around us, not daring to interfere, but seeming to emanate shock and horror. For a moment I saw myself through their eyes, beautiful and terrible and cruel. I hated that. Hades was falling into unconsciousness, but doing nothing to defend himself. Hurting one who refused to fight back went against my nature, and I acted purely on instinct, or so I tried to tell myself. I withdrew the searing heat and channeled it into a throbbing pulse that spread throughout the underworld, pure white flowers that needed no light shining like stars in the velvet black. The burns on his skin faded until they disappeared, and I succumbed to sleep as he stirred.

*

I dreamt that I was back on the surface, looking across the wide blue sea as evening fell, a star peeking out from behind the clouds. Then the beauty before my eyes shattered, like a mirror, the shards falling forever, and in the void that remained I saw Hades, an angel with broken wings, tumbling down with the rest of my world. I did nothing to stop this chaos; I dove into the madness, dove after him, my eyes drunk with love. I woke with Sorrow by my bedside, not remembering the dream, but high on the purest, most inexplicable joy. I had no name for the emotion that's stirred deep in my chest, resonating through the flesh and bone that held my soul captive. All I knew his face, sharp with worry as he turned to me. In the wavering light of the souls, I knew him as I have never known anyone; his distant blue eyes were warm with laughter and relief and for a moment he was part of me, as the earth was a part of me, more so than limb. As the moon rose far, far above us I smiled, looking out to the garden I had grown in the Land of Death. Delicate white blossoms were scattered like constellations, covering the ground as far as the eye can see. Their centers seemed to sparkle, like winter in bloom, and the emanated a soft radiance that pulsed hopefully through the dark. I loved them.

*

"You were always too weak," Aphrodite whispered to Hades' throne. "Too stupid. No one resists me." That little wench would crush him; break him. She'd let him suffer for a while, and then she'd have him. The goddess of Love would marry the God of Death, —as soon as she disposed of Hephaestus. Then no one, especially Hades would doubt her power. Olympus was a frozen wasteland, but Aphrodite's triumph and exhilaration were buffers against the cold. The ruthless, exquisite goddess threw her head back and laughed a scintillating laugh. She was unconquerable, irresistible. Hades would see that, soon.

*

Demeter stood alone, a solitary figure among the frost, standing in an ever-shrinking circle of pale green grass. Her spine was as rigid as the staff in her hand, her normally warm features twisted with grief and fury. Hades had abducted Persephone against her will. Hades, who would never hurt an innocent, who had never shone any interest in women at all! Her brother was not himself. And Zeus! That cursed idiot would do nothing to help her daughter, a young woman stolen from her home. Aphrodite and her brainless minions were forever whispering to him… And then something very dangerous happened: a mother realized just who was responsible for her daughter's abduction, deserted her post in the field, and grabbed Aphrodite by the throat. Demeter drew searing, unbearable heat around them and glared into the love goddess' terrified eyes, "_What did you do?_" she hissed. As the terrible heat threatened to char her flesh, Aphrodite confessed.

**A/N I'm so sorry this chapter took forever to write, and that it's so short. I've been dreadfully busy lately, and I just haven't been able to get this part right. As usual, please R&R, though I know I don't deserve it.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Love Like Winter: Chapter 5**

Hades hid in the shadows like a mortal thief, but the darkness reacted to his presence, swirling around him and clinging to him like a cloak. He watched Persephone dance among the strange flowers, color spreading across her pale cheeks. It made an odd picture, silvery flowers that shone like stars in the darkness, and a goddess clothed in velvet and lace twirling through them. She spun faster and faster, gown billowing around her, until she collapsed on the ground and lay down, movements lazy and decadent. Her smile faded to faint shadow, her breathing gradually slowed, and he heard her joyful heartbeat become a comforting hum, the mismatched, handmade trinkets she made laying still and silent against her skin. She lifted her graceful hands to her hair and began to braid her long, red hair, and Hades emerged from hiding, each of the fingers tapping against his thumb, a nervous gesture he had acquired when he was very young, still in the darkness of Cronus' stomach. His siblings found the darkness repugnant after their long years in captivity, but it was comforting to him, if lonely. The surface world, with all its bright openness, made him feel exposed and scrutinized. Vulnerable. "Persephone," he said, trying to keep his voice from breaking on her name, "there is something… I feel I must… it is time I told you the truth."

*

Aphrodite hung her head before Zeus, terrified but unashamed. Demeter stood beside her, a detestable flush of self-righteous anger coloring her unusually pale cheeks. The sky god stared between the two women, so very different, yet both so beautiful and sharing a certain family resemblance. This was a delicate situation to be sure… if Hades loved the girl, albeit unwillingly, he could hardly deny him her hand, but Persephone was very dear to him, and he could hardly bear the thought of her trapped in a marriage without any affection at all. There was also a problem of her realm; the goddess of spring could hardly touch the world from beneath it. And Demeter would keep the world a frozen wasteland if she thought her daughter was being held against her will in any way, shape, or form. His sister did not make for a pleasant enemy. Aphrodite, too, could cause all sorts of mayhem if denied. And poor Hephaestus… where was the lame god, anyway? No one had seen him on Mount Olympus today…

*

"About a month ago," Hades began, "I managed to offend Aphrodite. I… thwarted her less-than-subtle overtures rather indelicately, and she became very angry. I didn't think anything of it, just directed her out of my realm. When I was summoned to Olympus a week or so later, I spoke with Zeus, and fully intended to return home like any other trip… I was in my chariot when I felt it, a sharp, piercing pain in my chest. I tumbled out of the chariot, falling and falling for the nine days until I reached the nearest surface to Olympus: your island. I stumbled through the forest until I found a stream to bathe in, and when I had dried off and rested I went out of the forest to return home, but I came upon you first. I have never felt anything so strongly before. I knew upon that first moment that I had to have you," his voice lowered and broke. "I approached you and you were so kind, so beautiful. When I left I couldn't stand your absence. It was a tangible ache in my chest… and that's when I remembered the pain that caused me to fall." He lowered the shoulder of his black robe, and she saw the terrible wound, pulsing in time with his heart and bleeding golden ichor. "Aphrodite," she whispered, the name bitter and vile on her tongue, both an explanation and a curse.

*

Hephaestus tapped his good foot impatiently, silently urging Charon to hurry. He caught sight of his reflection in the river Lethe and winced. His face was beautiful at first, as handsome as Ares and more rugged than Apollo, but then, on his right cheekbone, a dark blue mark, like a large bruise. An ugly, physical imperfection most gods could not stand to gaze upon. And he was lame, weak as well as ugly, flawed on the surface. Aphrodite, not alone, had covered her eyes at the sight of him. He was an immortal, one of them, supposed to beautiful and perfect in every way. Hera had flinched in shame at the thought of bearing him, and Zeus… he would never understand why Zeus did what he did. He was so lost in thought that he barely noticed the boat beginning to slow. Charon stopped three quarters of the way down the River Styx and pointed to his left. Hephaestus gasped: the Underworld was no longer dark and bare, but covered in glowing silver flowers that shone like starlight. He stepped out of the boat and walked as fast as his disability would permit. "HADES!" he bellowed. "PERSEPHONE!"

"Here," Hades called faintly. He found them in a flower-filled clearing, staring in opposite directions. "Hello, old friend, Lady Persephone," he greeted them. Hades alone had been able to look at him unflinchingly in the early years, and they were the best of friends. He knew Persephone from her rare visits to Olympus. She, too, had looked him straight in the eye, and spent long afternoons with him in his workshops, examining his latest projects and asking questions, so many questions. She was a good companion, though, an excellent listener. He thought they seemed a great deal more alike his family assumed. "Forgive my impertinence, but we haven't much time. I need to know your true feelings, particularly yours, Lady. If you wish to wed Hades, if that is truly what you want, then I have a solution that will allow this, that will prevent anyone's intervention. But you must be sure, you must be absolutely certain, because there is no turning back if you choose this path," he said, speaking so quickly that his words ran together. "Hades, that wound is permanent; my wife has bent Anteros to her will, he cannot help you. You know that he would if he were able. There is no other way to truly heal it. This might mean more than your discomfort, because that part of you is mortal now. If any common archer or swordsmen strikes you there, you will die, and without you the Underworld will fall. Apollo sympathizes with you, and sent this," he held up a small, glass bottle filled with silver liquid. "This will help your wound to heal—somewhat—enough to protect you from mortal weapons, but the site will always be weaker than is normal for a god, and the… effects of the wound will remain. I took the liberty of making you this." Hephaestus held up a silvery breastplate crafted of steel washed in the river Styx. It had been reinforced with two layers of bronze and another band of steel covered the sight of his injury and wound around the piece of armor. "Persephone," the fire god asked softly, "what is your choice?"

She answered him in her sweet, high voice, "I—I wish… I wish to wed Hades," she finished, gaining confidence as she spoke.

"No!" Hades said furiously. "You cannot want this. And I refuse to take a wife out of her pity for me," he finished bitterly. His voice was low and raspy and she loved it.

"I have chosen you," she said simply, "You cannot stop me. Besides, you abducted me; you already denied me my choice once. Do you dare to do it again? I am no one's property," her eyes flashed and she reminded the two of Demeter for a moment. "What can you offer me, Hephaestus?"

"Only an idea, and we must act quickly."

*

"You have presented me with a dilemma," Zeus began. "Aphrodite, you were fully within your rights to direct Eros to wound Hades. However, the consequences of forbidding Anteros to shoot Persephone were not unforeseeable, and you have confessed the Hades was the object of your scheme from the beginning. Demeter, your demand for your daughter's release is far from unreasonable, but I will not be bullied, and the world is not your hostage. So, I propose a compromise…"

**A/N: Hey, I made a few changes to this chapter because I wasn't quite satisfied with the way it turned out. I intend to re-write the entire story more thoroughly after completion. Please R&R? I PROMISE I'LL UPDATE SOON! **

**Your repentant author,**

**WBME**


	6. Chapter 6

**Love Like Winter: ****Chapter Six**

For the first time since her fall from the surface, Persephone was scared. Furious, betrayed, lonely, miserable, spiteful; all these emotions she could handle. Even this new, fluttering thing between her and Hades could be hidden, protected. The pomegranate was heavy in her hands, and she could feel it's puckered texture teasing the skin on her palms and fingertips. One bite would change everything. She had always had her freedom, her mother believed that her daughter should grow up to be independent, self-sufficient, and while she relished in her daughter's company, she never closeted her away or prevented her from pursuing her own passions. And now all she had to do was eat one seed and she would be entirely at Hades' mercy for a month of every year. One split-second decision would alter the rest of her immortal life, and she was making it on the slim hope that he really loved her.

*

"… let us summon Hades and Persephone to Olympus. The goddess shall be taken away as soon as possible, to clear her head of any of the Underworld's influences. I will persuade my brother to leave her alone, by any means necessary. Demeter I want your solemn oath that the second your daughter's feet touch the earth as a free woman that you will never freeze the earth again, and Aphrodite, as punishment you shall help me to… persuade my brother. Trust me, it won't be nearly as enjoyable as you seem to think. I might allow him to murder you as leverage."

"Winter will still come Zeus, whenever my daughter's feet don't touch the earth," Demeter said.

"What do you mean? The earth never froze when Persephone came to Olympus," Zeus said impatiently.

"I have slowly sent her some of my power whenever I felt her spirit strongly enough. If she needed to escape, then I wanted her to be able to. If not, I felt it was time for her to play a more important role then minor one she formerly occupied anyway. My daughter is a powerful individual, and she will make an extraordinary goddess. It is time she received her own realm. She takes after our father, Zeus. I've only enhanced her natural gifts."

"What do you mean _enhanced_?" he bellowed.

"I mean that while she will always be Goddess of Spring, the other seasons belong to her as well. Continued exposure to her presence will send the earth into the throws of Summer. As she withdraws her influence, Autumn will come, and if she departs, Winter."

"_What have you done_, Demeter?" he roared.

"I have guaranteed my daughter her independence."

*

She sliced the dark fruit in half, and extracted four slippery seed from its sticky center. Persephone sucked in a breath, and raised one to her lips—

"Persephone, wait—" Hades said, and her eyes met his as she felt a tug in her abdomen, and he vanished before her frantic eyes.

*

Deep in the core of the world, the sisters clucked their tongues. This was definitely not good.

**A/N: *Nervous Laughter* Hi everyone. To everyone who I made promises to update far sooner than this to, I'm SO sorry Dx. Honors and personal stuff have held my life hostage these last few months, but especially in the last 3 weeks. Between homework and moving, I just haven't had the energy for creative work. But I've used Spring Break to clear my head, get my story lines in order, and you can expect more frequent updates for LLW and my other fics from now on, with new stories to be posted soon. This is my first school year as a part of the fanfiction community, and my freshman year of high school (great combination, right?). Sorry this chapter is so short and ends on a cliffhanger by the way, but there's only a chapter or two left until the end (I'm planning a sequel) so I felt it was fitting. Jeez this author's note is almost as long as the freakin' chapter. Shutting up now. Sorry. Review?**


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